1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to internal combustion engines. Particularly, the present invention pertains to means and a method for increasing both the power and efficiency of conventional internal combustion engines.
2. Description of the Related Art
Internal combustion engines running on hydrocarbon fuel have long been used as a source of power. In recent years, however, the fuel inefficiency, noise, pollution, and high cost of operation have become increasingly severe problems.
Conventional internal combustion engines generally operate on either a two-stroke or four-stroke cycle. A complete cycle in a four-cycle engine produces two complete revolutions of the crank shaft. Starting with the piston at top dead center (TDC), as the piston moves down, the intake valve opens, allowing the piston displacement to create a vacuum, drawing a fuel-air mixture into the cylinder. The intake valve closes, and the piston moves upwardly toward the cylinder head, compressing the fuel-air mixture in the cylinder. When the piston reaches TDC (+/- a few degrees), an electrical spark ignites the compressed fuel-air mixture; the explosive expansion of the mixture drives the piston downwardly in the power stroke. The exhaust valve then opens, and an upward movement of the piston expels the residual gases from the cylinder.
A two-stroke engine operates in much the same manner, combining the power, exhaust, intake and compression strokes into a single revolution.
The internal combustion process produces considerable heat which is stored in the cylinder head, walls and piston of the engine. This latent heat must be disposed of before temperature levels become sufficiently high to destroy the engine. In many conventional engines, the preferred method for disposing of the heat is with a forced fan radiator and liquid coolant.
Vast amounts of energy are wasted during operation of a conventional internal combustion engine. Thermal energy is wasted in the form of extremely hot gases being exhausted to the atmosphere. Heat removed from the engine parts by the coolant is also simply blown off into the atmosphere. Additionally, much of the energy generated by the engine is consumed in driving the pumps and fans of the cooling system. In short, only a small portion of the energy generated by the engine is used to produce useful work.
Many devices and techniques have been developed in recent years for the purpose of increasing the power output and fuel efficiency of internal combustion engines. Most such devices have met with limited success; the nature of internal combustion engines, and the manner in which they produce power, has changed little.
Other techniques have been developed to provide increased power output. One such technique includes injecting a second combustible fluid into the engine cylinder, usually after primary ignition and combustion have occurred. Another technique is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,143,518 to Kellogg-Smith, which discloses a six-stroke internal combustion engine. Water is injected into the cylinders and is converted to steam by the residual heat from the hydrocarbon ignition of the first power stroke, providing the motive force for a second power stroke. The apparatus disclosed in this patent differs substantially from conventional internal combustion engines, functioning on a six-stroke cycle and having additional exhaust valves and exhaust gas chambers associated with each cylinder. U.S. Pat. No. 3,964,263 to Tibbs also discloses a six-stroke internal combustion engine wherein water is injected into the heated cylinder following the exhaust stroke. While the arrangement of Tibbs requires only a single exhaust valve, it is still necessary that the timing and operational sequence of a conventional engine be altered so that it may function on a six-stroke cycle. U.S. Pat. No. 3,896,775 to Melby discloses a six-stroke supercharged internal combustion engine wherein the exhaust from a first power stroke is returned to a cylinder, along with new air, for a second power stroke. This apparatus also requires substantial modification to known engine designs so that it may operate on a six stroke cycle. The techniques employed to date exhaust all residual gases to the atmosphere.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome the problems associated with conventional internal combustion engines, and to provide an engine having greater power output and increased fuel efficiency.
It is an object of the present invention to reduce the volume of exhaust emission from an internal combustion engine at any given power output.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an internal combustion engine having cooler exhaust emissions, reduced emission noise, and emitting a lower level of contaminants to the atmosphere as compared to prior art engines.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide both means and a method for converting waste heat produced by conventional engines into usable energy.
It is a further object of this invention to provide both means and a method for adapting presently available two-stroke and four-stroke engine designs to operate at substantially greater efficiency, thereby facilitating manufacture of more highly efficient engines without extensive re-tooling costs.
It is a further object of this invention to extend useful engine life by reducing engine operating temperature, thereby placing less strain on the lubricants.